Chasing Light in Bukhara: A Morning at Abdulaziz-Khan Madrasah

I got up at 5:30, long before the city stirred, hoping to photograph the old town of Bukhara in the soft light of sunrise. The streets were empty except for the occasional local passing by, like the boy on a bicycle who rolled through the scene just as I raised my camera.

The Abdulaziz-Khan Madrasah was built in 1652 as a showpiece of power and beauty. It was designed to rival — and even outshine — the older Ulugbek Madrasah across the square. The façade is covered in intricate tilework, muqarnas, and delicate patterns that glow in the early light.

 Imagining what this square might have looked like centuries ago is easy without crowds or distractions. And that, to me, is the magic of Bukhara — a city where history doesn't feel distant but lived-in.